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Thursday, June 18, 2009

Boeckman Gets His Shot with Jacksonville

A large massive rain mass cruised southeast out of Iowa and Wisconsin this morning and appeared headed in our direction with 75 mph winds, heavy rain, and some hail....I warned the Amish Roofing Crew as the storm approached...from what I saw on the radar, we were going to get hit, although the bulk of the storm was going to go just south and west of us. About 10:30am I walked out and told them.."I was wrong, we might get a sprinkle".

The storm had died as it hit the Ohio border, and had indeed shifted south, where Indianapolis, Terre Haute, and Louisville in Kentucky had gotten raked by strong winds and rain.. Another batch that had been building out of Wisconsin into Illinois is starting to die out as well, we will see if anything else brews up. Tomorrow even stronger storms are forecast...hopeful the roofing crew will have most under shingles and secure.Todd Boeckman gets his shot_____Local kid Todd Boeckman from St. Henry(where the wife teaches) and a former Ohio State Buckeye was signed as a back up quarterback with the Jacksonville Jaguars yesterday. It's been a long and probably painful odyssey for Todd since he took over the starting job at OSU in his Junior season with the Buckeyes back in the fall of 2007. After a successful season at the Big Ten's leading passing QB in 07, Buckeye Coach Jim Tressel saw fit to dangle a starting chance to freshman phenom Terrell Pryor if he would sign with the Buckeyes. 4 games into last season, after some iffy outings by Boeckman and the OSU offensive line, Tressel, known as "The Vest"(I prefer to call him "The Weasel") saw fit to put the over matched Pryor into the starting line-up. Pryor was a disaster(despite what hard core Buckeye fans may say). But Tressel, who would never admit to being wrong, men with massive egos and not much else going for them seldom do, kept Pryor in the line-up, despite a pitiful showing against Penn State. He finally gave Boeckman a clean up roll against Michigan, then used him in the Bowl Final, a heartbreaking loss to Texas, where Todd was one of the bright spots.The cost for Tressel's folly for Boeckman was sticking around for his senior season, while his draft stock dropped from a probably 2nd round pick to not getting picked at all. TB finally got an invite from the Cincinnati Bengals, but never really got a look before they sent him packing. Yesterday he was flown to Jacksonville for a look-see. By afternoon's end, he was signed to a 1 year contract, and back-up Cleo Lemmon was sent packing. Todd is now one of guys(3 so far) in the battle for back up spots behind David Garrard. There are no guarantees, but hopefully he will get his chance...maybe if he sticks, when the Jags go to Indy this season to play the Colts, he can leave "The Vest" a couple of tickets, somewhere in the nose bleed seats, with a note saying "Thanks Coach, thanks for nothing". Good Luck to the St Henry native, if he makes it, he would be joining other famous St Henry residents to make it in pro sports....a town of 1800 that has produced the likes of Wally Post(MLB) and NFL players, Pro Bowlers and Super Bowl winners, Jim Lachey, Jeff Hartings, and former Buckeye and grandson of Post, Bobby Hoying. Quite an amazing thing, coming from a town so small.Speaking of St. Henry________Sam and I head there tonight for a Junior ACME game between SH and Coldwater...tomorrow if the storms miss us, we get back into American Legion action at Van Wert. In the meantime, "stay away storms"...back later>>>>

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Photos-Todd Boeckman(top) will try to join other St. Henry natives, Jim Lachey(Redskins) and Jeff Hartings(Steelers) as All Pros and Super Bowl Winners in the NFL.